Tony Stark builds one to take down international terrorists and interstellar invaders in "Iron Man." When alien behemoths began emerging from the sea, the plucky nations in "Pacific Rim" built them to fight back.

But powered exoskeletons aren't just science fiction anymore, they have applications well beyond being cinematic cash cows.

While some of its contemporaries in the emerging bionics industry are focused on the battlefield, California-based Ekso Bionics is focused on what comes after -- they've become leaders in the new medical applications of mechanized armor.

The firm has developed the Ekso, mechanized suit that allows anyone paralyzed by spinal cord injury or disease to walk again with the help of motors and hydraulics. And SoldierSocks, a Stamford non-profit group serving veterans' needs, sees the Ekso as a new opportunity to help men and women disabled during service overseas.

"They had converted something built for soldiers into a piece of equipment to help someone paralyzed to stand and walk," said Chris Meek, founder of SoldierSocks. "I was immediately interested by the idea."

But at $110,000 to $140,000 each, the Ekso's price puts it far beyond the means of the approximately 100,000 paralyzed veterans who need it most, many of whom receive just $2,673 monthly in disability benefits.

Meek wants to do something about this.

On Wednesday evening, Soldier Socks kicked off a fundraising campaign at the Bruce Museum with a reception and demonstration of the new technology.

Some 100 supporters crowded into the Museum's Bantle Gallery to show their support for the project.

The machine itself, slumped in a chair, looked as flimsy as fabric, a far cry from the burnished steel of science fiction.

But when strapped on and activated, Jason Gieser, a former Oakland police officer paralyzed in a motorcycle accident, was able to stand and walk across the room Wednesday -- to thunderous applause.

"Veterans are a group included in spinal cord injuries that we are trying to serve," Nathaniel Harding, the CEO of Ekso, said at the reception. "But working with U.S. veterans isn't our first connection with the U.S. military."

The firm helped develop light load-bearing exoskeletons for the military in the mid 2000s, he explained.

The goal of the Soldier Socks campaign is to purchase 10 Ekso suits for paraplegic veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The main goal is a combination of a fundraiser and a friendraiser," said Meek, who saw Wednesday's event as a chance to not only raise funds, but also awareness of the plight of the men and women disabled while serving overseas.

The project comes as SoldierSocks is undergoing its own priority shifts in response to the ramping down of American military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. SoldierSocks was originally formed in 2009 when Meek learned of frontline troops in need of often forgotten basics, like tube socks and baby wipes. Since then, the organization has shipped nearly 55,000 pounds of goods to the armed forces. But the drawdown of troops has meant branching out -- more soldiers coming back means a whole new set of needs needing to be met.

"(SoldierSocks) is about helping service members take their next steps forward," Meek said. "Whether it's on the front lines, coming back home, or literally taking their first steps, out of a wheelchair, we will be there to help them."

And despite being in its early stages, Meek has important supporters backing up his campaign.

At Wednesday's reception, retired Marine Maj. Gen. Paul Lefebvre, a major player in military governance programs for much of the conflict in Iraq, and Army Col. F. William Smullen, the former Chief of Staff for Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the crowd.